Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1887-11-08

BraZos, to its mouth, on an cir line, Is
about sixteen miles, and by the river
shout thirty. The river has q depth of
from twenty-five to thirty feet the entire
distance between BraZoria and its mouth.
The bar of the mouth is shout half mile
wide at the base and about 800 yards on
the crest. The water on the crest atmesn
low tide is about nine feet deep. The
sand composing the bar is about twelve
feet thick, under which is stratum of
mud two Or three feet thick resting on g
hard tenacious bed of clay.
An examination of the map shows that
the Brazos is the only river in Texas that
flows directly into the Gull, and is there
fore the only one the current of which
can be prolonged into the Gulf. The Sa-
bine river empties into Sabine lske. The
Trinity flows into Trinity bay and that
into Galveston bay, and the Colorado into
Matsgorda bag. From Matsgorda bay to
the mouth of the Rio Grande there is 8
line Of shallow bays into which the differ
emit streams empty, and having outlets to
the Gulf through papes, or inlets st differ
emit places. These bays are separated
from the Gulf by chain Of low sand
islands, running parallel to the main land.
There Is no natural current flowing into
the Gulf that can be utilized to form Or
keep washed out en- artificial channel. Ia
1881 MSj9r Wright, Chief OF Corps of
United States Engineers, estimated the
cost of deepening the bar at the mouth
of the Brazos at $442.S9o Major
Howell, United States engineer,
says $4,000 will give twenty
five feet of water on the bar
and private civil engineer and contractor
has since proposed to secure deep water
on the bar for $500. 900.
The contractors Of permanent walls or
jetties, extending from the shore on each
side OF the mouth, across the bar TO deep
water, and resting as they would on a
solid foundation, would create a current
from the river which would keep the
channel secured out, and have the eff5ct
to widen aud deepen the river about its
mouth.
Occasionally during great storms in the
Gulf, the lands along the BrszOs an over
flowed few miles above the mouth, and
In 1875 during the most violent Gulf
storm ever known on the coast, the over
flow reached IS far up as the tim
Ger line, distance CT about six miles.
Above that to the town of Brazoria, a
distance by river of eighteen or twenty
miles, an overflow has never been known,
and there is depth of water from TWEEN
ty-two to thirty feet, sufficient to anchor
in perfect safety from ocean storms whole
fleets.
At the town Of Brazoria the Brsz3s and
San Bernard rivers are only about four
miles apart. The town was located in
1882 or 1888. The great ovelfl)ws of the
Br'z EOS since that time were in 1888, 1853,
1854 and 1885, when small portion CT the
lowest Of the town was overlooked. The
greater portion of the town and the land
from there to the San BaIDsrd has never
be IN known to be covered with Water from
tle river.
Now, Mr.. Editor, here st the old town
Of Rraz lris, where giant live oaks fes.
TONED with long grey moss spread their
huge evergreen branches, and vines love
TO climb, and the soft, cool sea breeze
delights to play in the tall groves, if any
where, will be the commercial city of
Texas.
But there ere difficulties in the way of
deep water, and founding a city
1t the mouth Of the Brazos, greater than
hose placed there by nature. Galveston |
has capital and political Influence, and
Galveston does not want deep water at |
Velasco. The syndicates that own and |
control the great lines OF railroads in |
Texas prefer long hauls to short ones. |
Deep water at the mouth of the Brozos |
would mean short hauls, and therefore |
hey do not want it, It is not probable |
he Federal Government will appropriate |
he money necessary to complete the |
work. The wishes and interests of
ew planters and merchants in that part
# the state are not Of sufficient import
!pce to enlist congressional influence
n their favor against the wishes
md interests Of larger and
more influential constituencies. 1t
would, however, be of incalcuiable
'eneft to the state of Texas. It would
re the means OF saving millions OF dollars
o the people in the way of freight On cot
on that now goes to foreign markets by
way Of New York, It would give to
'eXas direct transportation for is beet,
mutton, wool and hides, and lessen the
ost OF all imported goods.
To Fort Worth with its ten or twelve
eilcoads redisting to every point Of the
0mpsss, il would be CT great advantage,
lakiDg it great receiving and distriouL-
1g point.
But have written enough. My pur.
ose was to Call the ettentlon OF enter
rising business men to the natural sd-
antages OF place thst has been over,
1adoWed 0y other places thst eve their
Ian to superior natural advantages.
m